Conveying and elevating mechanism



l,7ll,356

April 30, 1929.

A. P. LEWIS ET AL CONVEYING AND ELEVA'ING,MECHANISM Filed June 8; 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 nuentors:

E I An'hurBLe w` 9 John L. Wilson, W W

April 30, 1929.

A. P. LEWIS ET AL I CONVBYING AND ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed June 1928 5 Sheets-Shet 2 Aflur B L,ews,%

Jhn .EJ/Wilson,

April 30, 1929. A. P. LEWIS ET AL l,711,356

CONVEYING AND ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed June 8, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 floor L I'ne An &

I' April 30, 1929. P L ws l-;T AL l 1,7l l,356

CONVEYING AND ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed June 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 AB'hurR Lewis& John L. mlapn,

,by y-"- Fetented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNHTED 'STATES 1311356 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR P. LEWIS AND JOI-IN L. WLSON, .OF AKBON, OI-IIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE MILLEE RUBBEB CO., OF AKRON, OHIO.

ooi ivnvrne .A m ELEVAMNG MECHANISM.

.Application filed June' '3,

The said invention reletes to improvement-s in the conveying and eleveting nechenism of the type which forms the subject ot' an application of Arthur P. Lewis, filed in the United States Petent Office on the 26th day of September, 1927, Serial No. %2,127 The invention eins to provide a construction in which .the sheet or web will be clanped or held between rollers or cross members while being eleveted, thereby further obviting any danger of slippage.

It further aiins to provide e construction in which the clamping' 'or holding members will travel in concentric paths they move .into and out of clamping` position relative to the sheet or web. v

A 'further object is to provide a, construction in which the sheet or web may be fed to the clevating means under slight tension and elevated with abscnce of tension.

With these and other objects in View the invention includes the novel features'o'f construction and arrangement and combination of parte hereinefter described, the invention being defined by the appended cleins.

In order that the invention may be more rendily understood reference is made tothe accompenying drawings, in which z Figur-e 1 is a diagrammatic view illustratng the conveyor s installed between two reletiwly remote Stations, as for example {L cnlender and e winding device on ;in uppcr factory floor.

Fig. 2 is a side elevetion on t much larger scale than Fig. 1, partly broken away.

Fle'. 3 is a, detail View, with perts conventionnlly shown, illustrating the coection ot the convcyor elements.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line, 4-4 ot' Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is n dctail view partly .in section and partly broken away.

6 is a section on line 6-6 of 5.

Fig'. 7 is a detail View illustrating the lower sprocket 26 and one form of cooperatin guide.

Fig. 8 is s similar View' of a modified ''orin'o' guide. y

Fi 9 is a View at right angles thereto, partly broken away.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail View of one of the upper sprockets 26 and associated parts and,

Fig. ll is a View at right sngles thereto, shown broken away e of elevated-sprockets over which they pass horizontal run to another set of sprockets from which they preferably eX- in a.

tend vertically to form the ascending run of :i second eleveting conveyor similar tothe first, after which theyare again led horizontally for a (lesiroddistance and to a point of use or the iabrc as for lnstance n proximity to ;t winding device as shown conventionztlly at theupper left hend corner, F ig. l, from which point the conveyor returns to the initial horizontal run. p The 'travel-of the conveyor is clearly indicated by the arrows in said Fig. 1.

A second conveyor or conveyors has a vertical run Parallel to or coincident with the elevating run or runs of the first conveyor, said second conveyor comprising cheins which pass, at their lower end, around sprockets located betweenthe lower sprockets of the elevating conveyor, and fest on the shutt carrying the same, this second conveyor passing around another set of sprockets adjzcent the upper set of sprockets oi' the mein conveyor and positioned so that one run of said supplcmental conveyor will be either' in the seine plane or {L plane closely adjzcent and parallel thereto, while the return run 'is spaced therefron. The second or supplenental conveyor czn'ries prcsser bars' or rolls supported from the conveyor by pivoted arms which presser members clenp the web to the cross bars driving the elevzting action.

Referrin by reference characters to these drawings, the letter A designates' the traveling web which is to be conveyed froni {L calcnder, eleveted to a point, such as in proximity to the ceiling of the calender room, and then conveyed horizontelly for a suitable distance, or to it suitable point, etter which it may be again elevated if (lesired and further conveyed horizontally ss disclosed in said application, and shown in Fig. 1.

The sheet' or web coming from the calender or other continuous source of supply s ::r idle rolls 3, Figs 4; end 6; having' their axis disposed at an angle to the line of travel of the web and with their adjacent ende at the center' of the web further ad: *v'anced (in the direction ot feed) than thei' outer ends, whereby the rolls tend to spread the tabric or web and remove wrinkles.

A roll 2 is positioned so that. the web is depressed slightly etter leaving roll 1. After leaving the spreader rolls 3 the web passes over another idle roll 4, another set of spread r or wrinlde removing rolls*` 5, similar to rolls 3, and thence to a set of driven feed rolls ti, 7 and 8, Figs. 2 and 3 around which it passes in a Zig Zag path. Roll 6 is driven from roll 7 by a crossed belt 6 passing around a pulley on the shatt ot roll 6 and a similar pulley on the shatt of roll 7 while roll 7 is driven troin roll 8 by a pair ot interneshing spur gears 9 and 9 :fast respeetively on theshafts of rolls 7 and 8 Bolle 6, 7 and 8 are all driven the same surface speed.

This drive is etl'ected by a sprocket 10 fast on the sha ft of roll 8 which is connected by sproclet chain ll with a sprocket 12 on one end of a Reeves vari able speed device 13, the opposite end ol? which carries a sprocket lt connected by chain 1.5 with a Sprocket 16 which latter is driven by sproeket 17 (fast on the shatt of sprocket 16) and chain 18 froni sprocket 19 carried on the shatt 19 which actuates the main conveyor as hereinafter described.

The Reeves variable speed device 'is only conventionally shown as it is well known to those skilled in the art andneeds no specific description.

By means ot hand wheel 20 located in a position convenient to a worknan, and controlling the Reeves device 'bil1'0t `l1 sproeket chain 21 (and corrcsponding sprocl et wheels) the speed ot the rolls G, 7 and 8 may be regulated so as to subject the portion of ;he sheet or web between said rolls and the ealender to the desired degree ot tension.

The shalt of roll 8 also carries a sprocket 22 which through chain 22 and sprocket drives a roll 23 over which the web passee and upon which it rests under the action of gravity. Roll 23 is driven at a faster surface speed than roll 8 and tends i to keep the fabric taut between the rolls, any

excees tension being prevented by slippage. (See Fig. 3.)

Roll 23 is located approxiinately above the shalt 24 which carries a setot sprocket-ss` 24 around which the inaiu cenveyor rhains pass after leaving idle sprockets 19 at the bottom of the descending run. From sprochets 24% the id chains 25 pass, in ahorizontalweh rcce mg run,to and around a pair of sprockets 26 fast ou shatt 26 trom which said chains pass, in an elevating run, to an upper, set of sproclets 26, Figs. l and 10, froni whence they pass in a horizontal web conveying run' to sprechets 26 :from which they ascend vertically to rom part of a second elevating conveyor which, as it is a duplicate of the first elevating conveyor, is shown in a conventional nanner only and needs no further description.

At the top the second elevating` eonveyor chaiue pass aroitind sprocijets in o a horizontal run extendihg to any 1 ed point where they pase around terminal eprookets 26 froni which they return over suitable guide sprockets to the initial horizontal run, Fig.-1.

The conveyor chains 25 Carry spaced bars' 25 which are non-rotatably connected to the conveyor links and are preferably wrapped or covered with niuslin to prevent the rubberized tabric from blooning.

In practice the rolls 6, 7 and 8 are` driven about 15% faster than the conveyor chains, the result of which is that as thesheet or web drops froni the roll 23 and is taken up by the cross bars 25 of the web receiving run, it fest-ooned upon said bars or depends between theni in a series of shallow loops as indicated in Fig. 3.

Ae this horizontal run of the conveyor passes around sprockets 26 and ascende vertically, it is necessary to provide means for prevent-ing the web from slippng down ward oti the conveyor bars. This is acconr plished in the present case by providing an auxiliary conveyor, comprising pair' of sprocket chains 27 carrying swinging arins 28 supporting at their extrenities rollers 29, Conveniently of Wood. These chains are arranged so that the conveyor 'l'orined by said chains and rollers ha an ascending run in juxtaposition to and in substantially the same plane with the ascending run of conveyor .25 the s ecing o the chains and rollers and bars respectively being; such that on the rising vertical runs the rollers 29 will ovcrlie the bars 25" thereby holding the tab ric to each bar. V

The chains 27 pass around sprockets 27 fast on shat't 2G inside the sprockets 2& and around idle sprockets 27 adjacent the upper sprockets 26""', said sproehets 27' be ng desirably carried by a shutt journaled in vertically adjustable counterweighted bearings for maintaining the requisite tension on the conveyor chains (Fig. l).

To ettectivoly and accurately guide the rollers and bars, various parte are preterably constructed or provided in detail as tt'ollows.

Bars 25 are earried by approximately t'iangular pletes 30 3 and 5) which correspond in length to the links ot the chains 25, and are Secured each to a pair of adjacent pins thereof. Seid pivot pins are extended at the opposite or outer sidee and Carry fianged wheels or rollers 31 which cooperate with or run between parallel tracks or rails 32-32 which extend throughout the vertical runs of the chains The rollers 29 are preferably made sectional and the sections capable of independent movement to ensure complete contact from edge to edge of the fabric, and are journaledon rods 29% having their ends xedly secured in openings in the ends of the arms 28 which arms are pivotally mounted on the rods 33, the ends of which have reduced extensions 33 forming chain pintles 'for chain 27. These chain pintles carry rollers 34 between the chain links which coact with a Vertical track 'or rail member 35 to hold the chains and arms on the npwardly moving run of the main conveyor.

Power may be applied to the main conveyor 25 in any suitable manner for driving the apparatus as for instance by connecting shaft 19 to the calendar as indicated in Fig. 1.

The shaft 24 is journaled in slidable bearings capable of being adjusted by screws 24' to take up any undesired slack inthe main conveyor chains.

' A guide 36 is provided adjacent sprockets 26 for defiectngthe descending bars 29 :torwardly (as shown in Fig. 7) to cause them to be positioned properly relative to bars 25.

Instead of the guide means disclosed in Fig. 7 'which acts directly on the rolls, we may provide a modified Construction such as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this form, each shaft 33 supports an arm 43 provided with a roller 43 for coacting with a curved guide or track 44.

The arm 4-3 has an open slot or fork 4-3?, which straddles the shaft 33, and the arms of the for-k Carry fingers 4:3 which lie on opposite sides of the arm 28, the parts being held in position by bblt 43 which' holds the fork on shaft 33. As the rollers 29 move from the position shown at the rightof Fig. 8 towards the left, the action of gravity would tend to cause them to drop down into contact with the underlying web occupying the position indicated by the dot and dash` line 25 but this is prevented by the rollers 43 Contacting with guides 44,-until the parts start on their upward movement as' shown on the leftof Fig. 8. A supplemental guide 44 may be provided to engage the lower side of the roller. i

y To prevent any' danger of the loops of stock approaching each other closely enough to stick together when the conveyor chains pass aroundthe sprockets 26 or in other words, change their path oi" movement 'from Vertical to horizontal, we provide the means shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

This consists in placing on the shalt of sprocket 26 a drum 45 loose thereon which is driven at a faster speed than said shaft (but in the same direction) by means of such as sprocket 46 fast on the drum 45,

chain 47 passing around said .sprocket and another sprocket 48 on a counter shalt 48, which shatt s driven through sprocket 4:8

and chain. 49 from sprocket 50 fast on said shaft of sprocket 26 g hat is claimed as new is: l. An elevating conveyor comprising a main endless conveyor having a horizontal work receiving run and a vertical work elevating run, and an auxiliary conveyor having an eleva ting run in close uxtaposition to said first named elevating run, cooperating sheet engaging means carricd bysaid main and auxiliary conveyors,

auxiliary conveyors passing, at the bottom of the vertical run around guide wheels journaled to rotate about coincident aXis,

and guide wheels at the upper ends of said runs for deflecting the conveyors in opposite directions.

2. In an elevating conveyor for web material, a main conveyor comprising a pair said main and of endless chains carrying cross bars, upper i and lower sprockets around which said chains pass, an auXiliary conveyor comprising a pair ot' endless chains and presser members, upper and lower sprockets around which said last named chains pass, said last named lower sprockets being journaled between said first named .lower sprockets on axes coincident therewith and driven in unison therewith. y

3. Apparatus according y to claim 2 in which the presser members are `nounted to have a limited movement vertically relative to the auxiliary conveyor chains.

4-. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the'presser members are mounted on swinging arms carried by the auxiliary conveyor chains.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the presser members are in the form of rollers rotatably supported by swinging arms carried by 'the auxiliary conveyor chains.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the presser members are in the form oi sectional rollers, each section beingcapable of a limited vertical movement relative to the others chains. v y

7. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the main conveyor has a horizontal work receiving run prior to eng-aging the lower sprockets. e

8. Apparatus according to 'claim 2 in which themain conveyor has a horizontal work receiving run prior to engaging the lower sprockets, and means are provided for depositing the web in slack formation on said horizontal run. v

9. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the main conveyor has a substantially horizontal work receiving run prior to engaging the lower sprockets, and a substanand the 'auxiliary conveyor' tially horizontal Work conveying run after leaving the upper sprockets.

10. In eonveying apparatus for sheet material a pair of Conveyor elements having contguous runs, and having sheet engaging means arranged to be in staggered relation on the contiguous runs With the sheet en-` gaging means of one' element intersecting the path of movement of the other, Whereby the sheet is held in sinuous form, one of said elements having an anterior run portion, and means 'for depositing a sheet or Web in slack orniation on said anterior run.

ll. In conveying apparatus for sheet material a pair of conveyor elements having contiguous elevating runs and having sheet overlapping enga ing means for holding the sheet in sinuous form during elevation, one of said elements having an anterior substantially horizontal run, and means for depositing the sheet thereon in slack 'ormation.

12. In conveying apparatus for sheet ma terial a pair of conveyor elements having eontiguous elevating runs and having sheet overlapping engaging means for holding` 'the sheet in sinnous 'form during elevation, one of said elements having an anterior substantially horizontal run, and means for depositing the sheet thereon in slack formation, and means for applying tension to said sheet prior to its delivery to :aid horizontal run.

13. In conveying apparatus for sheet material a pair of conveyor elements having contingous elevating runs, and having sheet engaging means arranged to be in staggered and overlapping relation on the elevating runs, one of said sheet engaging means comprising bars and arms pivotally eonneeting the same to their conveyor element.

l l. In conveying appai'atus for sheet material a pair of conveyor elements having contiguous elevating runs, and having sheet engaging means arranged to be in staggered and overlapping relation on the elevating runs, cne of said sheet engaging means comprising bars and arms pivotally connecting the same to their eonveyor element, and de- 'lleetor means coacting` With said pivotally mounted bars.

15. In sheet conveying` apparatus a pair ot conveyor elements having centignous elevatingg runs, one of said elements having an anterior subitantially horizontal portion and having sheet engaging bars, said other element having sheet engaging bars mounted on nvingng arms.

16. In sheet conveying apparatus a pair of conveyor elements having contignous elevating runs, one ot said elements having,` an

anterior substantiall horizontal portion and having sheet engaging bars, said other element having sheet engaging bars mounted on swinging arms, and defieetor .means for clefleeting said sivnging arms and bars into advanced position relative to the first named bars.

17. Endless Web convoying` means of the class described comprising a main` conveyor including` ehain and conneeting cross bars, said main eonveyor having an elevating run and an upper lateral conveying run, lower and upper sprockets for said ehains, an auxiliary conveyor having a rnn parallel With said elevating run and comprising chains and presser members, eoopera'ting With said cross bars, upper' and lower sprockets 'or said chains, means :for feeding an endless Web to said cross bars Whereby it is suspended thereon with slaek portions between the bars, and means at the upper end of the elevating run tending to move the Web faster than the cross bars whereby stieking togeth er ot' Web portions is prevented at the point Where the Web is conveyed laterally.

18. Endless Web Conveying means oi" the class described comprising a main conveyor having an elevating run terminating in a lateral run, a said conveyor comprising chains and cross bars, lower and upper sproekets engaging said chains, an auxiliary conveyor having a run cooperating` With said elevating rnn and. eomprising ehains and presser members, means for feeding the Web to the main eonveyor so that it Will be supported by the bars thereof With intervening sla'ck portions, a drum for engaging said slaek portions at the point Where the main eonveyor enters the lateral run, and means for driving the drum in the same direction as the main conveyor but at a faster speed.

19. In sheet eonveying apparatus, a pair oi" conveyor elements having; contiguous elevating` runs, one of said elements having` anterior and posterior substantially horizontal runs and having sheet engaging bars, said other element having sheet engaging bars movable to cooperate With the first named bars, means for feeding the sheet to the anterior run to deposit the same thereon in slaek loop fcrmation, and means at the ineeption of said. posterior run suecessively taking up 'the slack portions of the sheet to prevent contact With succeeding slaekpoi tions.

In testimony wher-eci', we afiix our signatures.

ARTHUR P. LEVVIS. JOHN L. XVLSON. 

